mccoll



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. McOOLL & W. B. OUMMING.

LIQUID RUDDER BRAKE.

' No. 334,081. Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

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hi BY um Arromvs (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

G. McOOLL & W. B. GUMMING. LIQUID RUDDER BRAKE.

No. 334,081. Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

(P1258858: mm s. .2/ Z. m v M A from/NY (No Model.) 3 'Sheets-Sheet 3.

GQMGOQLL & W. B. OUMMING. LIQUID RUDDER BRAKE.

No. 384,081. Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAVIN MOCOLL AND l/VILLIAll/I B. OUMMING, OF LIVERPOOL, COUNTY OFLANCASTER, ENGLAND.

LIQUID RUDDER-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,081, dated January12, 186.

Application filed September-2, 1885. Serial No. 176,006. (No model.)

being had to the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is aplan or top view ofourimproved liquid rudder-brake.Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 3, a side view, partly insection, thereof; Fig. 4, a top View of a modification of the same; Fig.5, a side view of that modification, and Fig. 6 a cross-section on theline C O in Fig. 5.

This invention has for its object to prevent accidents to the rudders ofsteamships and other vessels in the event of the steering-gear becomingdisabled, or during heavy racing of the propeller when the same is notfully immersed in the water, and, in fact, whenever that loose vibrationof the rudder is to be prevented, which is the prime cause of so manyaccidents thereto during heavy weather. Vessels are frequently disabledby injury to their steeringgear, because when the rudder is no longerheld the action of the waves will cause it to swing violently to andfro, and finally will 0 destroy it.

Our invention consists in combining with the rudder-posts and with thewheel or cranks thereon one or more cylinders, each having a piston thatconnects with the rudder-post, and

5 each filled with a liquid substance and connected with a pipe throughwhich that substance is moved whenever the piston moves under theinfluence of the rudder. The resistance which the motion of the liquidcauses is 0 sufficient to cushion the rudder and prevent violentmovements thereof.

In the drawings, with more particular reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 8,the letter A represents the rudderpost, and B is a wheel mounted 5 uponthe same,which connects, in the usual or suitable manner-,with thesteering-gear at the pilot'house. This wheel, or, in lieu of it, a crankon the rudder-post, is connected with the piston-rods O and D, thepistons of which travel in cylinders E and F, respectively. The end ofeach of these cylinders which is farthest away from the wheel B ispivoted at a to a bracket or support, G, there being two such brackets,

as shown in Fig. 1, one for each of the cylinders. The piston-rods C andD are also pivoted to the wheel B, asis shown at b in Fig. 1. The endsof the cylinders E and F which are nearest the wheel B connect with apipe, H, which may either run directly from one cylinder to the other ina more or less straight line, 6 or which may, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,run from the end of one cylinder which is nearest the wheel B to theswivel-connection a, and then to the end of the other cylinder which isnearest the wheel B. It being understood that the 5 pipe H is filledwith liquid, and that it communicates with the two cylinders E and F,which are also filled with liquid on those sides of their pistons whichare nearest the wheel B, it follows that whenever the wheel B 1s turnedby the steering-gear one of the pistons will be pushed into its cylindertoward the support G, while at the same time the other piston is drawnin its cylinder away from the support G. Thus the liquid which fills thepipe H and parts of said cylinders is moved by the motion of thesepistons, and it retards the movements of the piston, and also themovements of the wheel B and of the rudder, by its frictional contactwith the walls of the pipe H. 3

The smaller the diameter of the pipe H the more will the movement of therudder be retarded. A cock, d, is also provided in the pipe H toregulate its diameterthat is, to lessen it when desired-and thusincrease the resist- 8 ance caused by the liquid. When this cock isentirely closed, which may be done in case of necessity, it will serveto lock the rudder so that it cannot be moved spontaneously.

Should the steering-gear give out, or the propeller-race or the rudderbecome exposed to the action of the waves, our arrangement of cylindersand pipe H will permit no motion of the rudder, except one that isquite'gentle and slow. All violent motion is absolutely prevented.

Those parts of the cylinders E F which are nearest the brackets G areeither perforated to communicate with the air or are connected by apipe, I, so that the air behind the pistons ICO will be moved from onecylinder to the other in the same ratio as .the liquid in front of them.In case the cylinders are of undue length, or should require centralsupport, we have provided for that purpose a segmental railway, J,beneath each cylinder, in which railway are hung friction-rollers 6,against which bears a foot, f, that projects downward from the cylinder,which appears more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The pipe H has asuitable branch, g, for replenishing it with liquid that may be lostbyleakage, and for filling it in the first instance. Air-chambers h hshould also be erected on the pipe H to prevent injury to the part,especially when the cock (I is more or less closed.

We have thus far described the arrangement of the rudder with twocylinders, E and F, and two pistonrods; but it is quite evident that thesame result may be obtained with the use of but one cylinder, providedthe same is connected with the circulating-pipe at both of its ends,instead of at one end only, as shown in Fig. 1. This modification isrepresented in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, in which the letter D represents thesingle piston-rod,which is to' connect with the wheel or crank on therudder-post, and which enters the single cylinder F. The two ends ofthis cylinder are connected by a pipe, H,which is represented at thelower part of Fig. 5, and which, being filled with liquid, will, whenthe piston is moved, allow the liquid to circulate from one end of thecylinder to the other. The cylinder itself is swiveled at a in thebracket G. The pipe H has a cock, (1, and

the cylinder F carries air-chambersh, as shown. Whenever the piston onthe rod D is pushed into the cylinder by the motion of the rudder in onedirection, the liquid will be moved in thepipe H toward the rudder-post;but when the piston is moved in the opposite direction the liquid willalso be moved in the pipe H in,

areverse direction. The diameter of the pipe H will regulate the speedwith which the rudder is allowed to move.

We do not claim moving a rudder by hydraulic means, and shown in PatentNo. 27, 875.

1. The combination of the rudder-post and the wheel or crank thereon,and suitable means for turning the same, with one or more pivotedcylinders, one or more piston-rods that are pivoted to said wheelorcrank, and with the liquid-circulating pipe H on said cylinder orcylinders, all arranged as a cushion for the rudder, substantially asherein shown and described.

2. The combination of the rudder-post A and its crank or wheel B, andsuitable means for turning the same, with the piston-rod D, pivotedthereto, cylinder F, pivoted to a fixed support, pipe H on saidcylinder, and cock (I in said pipe, as specified.

The foregoing specification of our invention signed by us this 14th dayof July, 1885.

GAVIN MOOOLL. \V. B. GUMMING. Witnesses:

GEO. RUGH. VEST, WILLIAM PIERCE.

